1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an SDK use-restriction imposing device, a use-restriction-imposed SDK developing system, and an SDK use-restriction imposing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A software development kit (SDK) that is used to develop an application for an image forming apparatus is distributed from a SDK developer to an application developer by a SDK distributor. In such cases, in general, a license contract is concluded between the SDK developer and the SDK distributor, and a sub-license contract is concluded between the SDK distributor and the application developer.
The SDK distributor imposes restrictions such as use restrictions on the SDK and allows the application developer to try the SDK free of charge. As a result, the SDK distributor may conclude sub-license contracts with many application developers.
The internal structure of the SDK may be changed by imposing use restrictions on the SDK. If an unexpected error occurs while the SDK is being used, the reliability of the SDK will be reduced. In addition, the SDK distributor needs to know the internal structure of the SDK in order to impose use restrictions on the SDK, and hence much time and labor may be taken by the distributor to impose such use restrictions on the SDK.
An example of imposing use restrictions on an SDK is known in which use-restriction information is stored in a USB memory and the SDK is activated by inserting the USB memory into an image forming apparatus so as to permit use of the SDK for a predetermined period as determined by information stored in the USB memory.
However, in the above-described example, a USB memory that is prepared separately from an image forming apparatus is required.